TY - JOUR
T1 - Sex differences in clinical characteristics of migraine and its burden
T2 - A population-based study
AU - DBDS Genomic Consortium
AU - Chalmer, Mona Ameri
AU - Kogelman, Lisette J A
AU - Callesen, Ida
AU - Christensen, Charlotte Grønvold
AU - Techlo, Tanya Ramdal
AU - Møller, Peter L
AU - Davidsson, Olafur B
AU - Olofsson, Isa A
AU - Schwinn, Michael
AU - Mikkelsen, Susan
AU - Dinh, Khoa Manh
AU - Nielsen, Kaspar
AU - Topholm, Mie
AU - Erikstrup, Christian
AU - Ostrowski, Sisse Rye
AU - Pedersen, Ole Birger
AU - Hjalgrim, Henrik
AU - Banasik, Karina
AU - Burgdorf, Kristoffer S
AU - Nyegaard, Mette
AU - Olesen, Jes
AU - Hansen, Thomas Folkmann
N1 - © 2023 The Authors. European Journal of Neurology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Academy of Neurology.
PY - 2023/6
Y1 - 2023/6
N2 - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Understanding migraine in a sex-specific manner is crucial for improving clinical care, diagnosis and therapy for both females and males. Here, data on sex differences are provided in the presentation of migraine in a large European-based population cohort, which is representative of the general population.METHODS: A population-based study of 62,672 Danish blood donors (both present and previous donors), of whom 12,658 had migraine, was performed. All participants completed a 105-item diagnostic migraine questionnaire sent via an electronic mailing system (e-Boks) between May 2020 and August 2020. The questionnaire allowed for correct diagnosis of migraine according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, third edition.RESULTS: The migraine questionnaire was in-cohort validated and had a positive predictive value of 97% for any migraine, a specificity of 93% and a sensitivity of 93%. There were 9184 females (mean age 45.1 years) and 3434 males (mean age 48.0 years). The 3-month prevalence of migraine without aura was 11% in females and 3.59% in males. The 3-month prevalence of migraine with aura was 1.72% in females and 1.58% in males. In females, the age-related 3-month prevalence of migraine without aura increased markedly during childbearing age. In males, migraine both with and without aura showed less age variation. Females had a higher frequency of migraine attacks (odds ratio [OR] 1.22) but a lower frequency of non-migraine headaches (OR = 0.35). Females also had a greater intensity of pain, more unilateral and pulsatile pain, and exacerbation by physical activity (OR = 1.40-1.49) as well as more associated symptoms (OR = 1.26-1.98). Females carried 79% of the total migraine disease burden, which was almost exclusively driven by migraine without aura (77%), whilst there was no sex difference in the disease burden of migraine with aura.CONCLUSION: Females have more severe disease, resulting in a much higher migraine disease burden than indicated by prevalence alone.
AB - BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Understanding migraine in a sex-specific manner is crucial for improving clinical care, diagnosis and therapy for both females and males. Here, data on sex differences are provided in the presentation of migraine in a large European-based population cohort, which is representative of the general population.METHODS: A population-based study of 62,672 Danish blood donors (both present and previous donors), of whom 12,658 had migraine, was performed. All participants completed a 105-item diagnostic migraine questionnaire sent via an electronic mailing system (e-Boks) between May 2020 and August 2020. The questionnaire allowed for correct diagnosis of migraine according to the International Classification of Headache Disorders, third edition.RESULTS: The migraine questionnaire was in-cohort validated and had a positive predictive value of 97% for any migraine, a specificity of 93% and a sensitivity of 93%. There were 9184 females (mean age 45.1 years) and 3434 males (mean age 48.0 years). The 3-month prevalence of migraine without aura was 11% in females and 3.59% in males. The 3-month prevalence of migraine with aura was 1.72% in females and 1.58% in males. In females, the age-related 3-month prevalence of migraine without aura increased markedly during childbearing age. In males, migraine both with and without aura showed less age variation. Females had a higher frequency of migraine attacks (odds ratio [OR] 1.22) but a lower frequency of non-migraine headaches (OR = 0.35). Females also had a greater intensity of pain, more unilateral and pulsatile pain, and exacerbation by physical activity (OR = 1.40-1.49) as well as more associated symptoms (OR = 1.26-1.98). Females carried 79% of the total migraine disease burden, which was almost exclusively driven by migraine without aura (77%), whilst there was no sex difference in the disease burden of migraine with aura.CONCLUSION: Females have more severe disease, resulting in a much higher migraine disease burden than indicated by prevalence alone.
KW - Female
KW - Headache/epidemiology
KW - Humans
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Migraine with Aura/diagnosis
KW - Migraine without Aura
KW - Sex Characteristics
KW - Surveys and Questionnaires
U2 - 10.1111/ene.15778
DO - 10.1111/ene.15778
M3 - Article
C2 - 36905094
SN - 1351-5101
VL - 30
SP - 1774
EP - 1784
JO - European Journal of Neurology
JF - European Journal of Neurology
IS - 6
ER -